To the american



' Patented Sept. 27, I898. K. KNUDSEN. TBUSS FRAME FUR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

' (Application filed Oct. 20, 1897.) \(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I,

g a is: L

l lL lrlm No. 6ll,258. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

K. KNUDSEN.

TRUSS FRAME FOR ELEGTRIC VEHICLES'. (Application filed Oct. 20, 1897.) (No Model.) 7 '3' Sheets-Sheet 2.

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para? N o. 6l|,258. Patented Sept. 27, I898. v K. KNUDSEN.

TRUSS FRAME FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

(Application filed Oct. 20. 1897;) v

3 snmssheet I;

' (No Model.)

: No."6l|,258. 'Patented'Sept. 27, "18 9's; K. KNUDSEN. TBUSS FRAME FDR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

(Application filed Oct. 20. 1897.

3 sheets sheet 2;

(N0 Mddel.)

THE NORRIS PETERS cu" wAsHmamN, 04c.

K. KNUIJSEN. TRUSS FRAME FOB ELECTRIC VEHICLES (Application filed 00c. 20, 1897.)

'Pat ented Sept. 27, 1898.

(N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1m: NURRIS PETERS 60., WAsHuIGTQ}. D c

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE,

' KARs'rnN'KNUosEN, OF CHICAGO, nmn'vors, .nssicmon TO THE AMERICAN ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY, or SAME PLACE.

TRUSS-FRA-ME-FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 611,258, dated September 27, 1898.

Application filed October 20, 1897- Serial 110,655,835. (N modem I To (tZbwFton-t it may concern: Be it known that I, KARsTEN Kknnsan, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lilinois, have invented a certain new'and useful Improvement in Truss-Frames and Reaches for Electric Vehicles, of which the following.

is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,

reference being bad to'the accompanying [O drawings, forming, a part of this'specification.

erwise to form a single and integral structure.

In the preferred form of my invention I pro- 2o vide at both the front and rear ends of the frame a pair .of lateral or transverse bars or tubes, which are joined by a pair of truss members or reaches, o.ne at each side of the frame. The front and rear wheels are mount- 2 5 ed on brackets carried upon the pairs of tubes,

. as are also the driving-gears. This arrangement affords a construction which, while possessing great strength, is quite light and may be manufactured at a comparatively small 3 cost.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which-' Figure 1 is a plan view of the frame, of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig.

3 5 g 3 is, a rear view. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the differential gears on the rear axle.

=Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures,

At the rear of the frame a pair of transverse. no or lateral tubes or bars a a are provided,

which carry upon the ends the brackets (L261? and which also carry at intermediate points the brackets 11 a The axle b, upon which the rear wheel I)! is mounted, isjournaled' in the brackets 1 10, while the axle Z7 carrying the wheel 7), 1s journaled in the brackets a Upon the tubes are also carried the brackets c c, upon which the springsc 0 supporting the body or box of the vehicle, are respec 5 tively supported.

' At the forward end of the frames pair of transverse tubes or bars (Z d is provided, which carry upon tho ends the brackets d (P, upon which the front wheels '6 e are journaled, the axles upon which the wheels rotate being mountedto swing upon vertical axes journ'aled within the brackets (Z (1 Extending from the front to the rear transverse tubes are reaches in the. form of trusses ff, which each comprise a tube f, which intersects the front and rear pairs of transverse tubes and is socuredthereto, and a lower tube f secured at the ends to the forward and rear transverse tubes, the'vertical brace tubes or posts f f being provided between the longitudinal 6 5 members f f of the truss. The front spring g for supporting the forward'end of the box or bed of the vehicle is j'ournaled at the ends to brackets g g, can ried upon the upper longitudinal tubes f'f. 7o Near the rear of the frame is a transverse tube h, extending between the tubes f f, and from the middle of this transverse tube extends-the tube h to the middle of the tube a. From the tubes hand h the motor-frame 7c is suspended. 7 5 Upon the end of the armature-shaft is mount,-

ed a pinion 7a, which meshes with the gearwheel k mountedon a shaft with a pinion k meshing with the gear-wheel 70*, carried upon the periphery of the shell 70 within' which, Fig. 4, are j ournaled the bevel-pinions Z Z, meshing with the bevel-gears Z 1 carried;- respectively, upon the axles b b. The diifeiential gearing permits the independent rota-' tion of the rear wheels.

. When the vehicle is traveling in a direct line and the wheels are consequently moving at the same rate, the shell 70 in its rotation rotates the beveligears l P, while the bevelpinions Z Z have no rotation about their own axes. When, however, asin turning a curve, one of the rear wheels must rotate faster than the other, the bevel-pinions ZZ partake of rotationabout their respective axes to 'accommodate the difference in rotation between 5 the rear wheels, while still driving the rear wheels, due to the rotation of the shell carrying the bevel-pinions. v I Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--' I y 1. A frame for vehicles comprising front zontal plane and a pair of trussed reaches extending between and joining said transverse members,substantially as described.

9. A frame for vehicles comprising front and rear transverse members each comprising two parallel tubes or bars lying in a horizontal plane and a pair of trussed reaches extending between and joining said transverse members and each comprising a horizontal upper tube or bar and a lower tube or bar downwardly deflected at the intermediate portion and separated from the upper tube or bar by vertical posts, substantially as described.

3. A frame for vehicles comprising a pair of rear transverse members upon which the.

rear wheels are mounted, said members lying in a horizontal plane, a front transverse member, andapair of trussed reaches extending between and joining said transverse members, substantially as described.

4. A frame for vehicles comprising a pair of rear transverse members, a front transverse member and a pair of trussed reaches extending between and joining the same and comprising each an upper bar or tube joining both rear transverse members and the front transverse member and a lower bar or tube ioined at the ends with the front transverse member and with the rear transverse member of the rear pair and downwardly de- Ilected at the intermediate portion and separated from the upper bar or tube by vertieal posts, substantially as described.

5. A frame for vehicles comprising a rear transverse member, a pair of front transverse members lying in a horizontal plane, and a pair of trussed reaches extending between and joining thesame, substantially as described.

6. A frame for vehicles comprising apair of rear. and a pair of front transverse members and a pair of trussed reaches extending between and joining the same, and each com prising an upper tube or bar joining the four transverse members,and a lower downwardlydeflected bar or tube joined at the ends to the extreme rear and forward members and separated from the upper bar or tube by vertical posts. substantially as described. 1

7. A frame for vehicles comprising a pair of forward and a pair of rearward transverse members and a pair of longitudinal members all joined together and lyingin a common plane, and a pair of deflected longitudinal members separated from the other longitudinal members by vertical posts, substantially as described.

8. A frame for vehicles comprising front and rear transverse members each comprising two parallel tubes or bars lyingin aborizontal plane and trussed reaches joining the same, and intermediate motorsupporting bars or rods, substantially as described.

9. A frame for vehicleshavinga pair of rear transverse members lying in a horizontal plan e,brackets carried thereon for supporting the rear axles, and a differential gearing between the ends of said axles, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subseribe'd my name in the presence .of two wit- HGSSBS.

"KARSTEN KNUDSEN.

\Vitues'scs: i

E. P. CROCKER, W. C YDE J ONES. 

